Staff Procedure Handbook

Staff Procedure Handbook

2016-2017

Students/Parents

ASSEMBLY PROCEDURES

Practice assembly procedures to ensure success. Students are expected to enter the room quietly and leave quietly. Remind students they are setting an example for the younger students who are watching them. This is a time to shine in front of parents and peers.

1)Teachers will lead classes into the assembly area and sit with their students.

2)Care should be taken to separate children with behavioral problems in the seating arrangement.

a)You may wish to seat some children close to you for "easy access"!

3)Teachers are expected to sit with their classes and remain for the entire assembly. Leave a copy of this information in your substitute folder.

4)Students should always remain quiet and behave courteously to our guests. Unacceptable: cat calls, whistling, chanting, and inappropriate clapping.

5)At the close of an assembly, students will remain seated and quiet until their class is dismissed.

a)Individual classes will be called to leave with their teacher.

6)Teachers are responsible for student behavior training in proper assembly procedures. Do not allow students to leave assembly. Restroom breaks should be taken prior to assembly.

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES (CLASSROOM)

1)Attendance will be kept in TeXISGradeBook as well as a manual gradebook.

2)On the first day of school, teachers will receive attendance sheets and class rosters in their box by 7:30 a.m. Mark an E by the name of each student present on the first day. Do not mark anything on students listed who are not in attendance on the first day. Attendance sheets will be collected at 10:00 a.m.

3) Notify the office if you have a new student attend your class who is not listed on your class roster.

4)The office will monitor "no-shows" during the first two weeks of school.

General Information

Attendance is a major part of the accountability system for our school. Consequently, proper procedures are an important component of the job responsibilities of the teacher. All records must be legally correct and promptly communicated to the office staff. Our attendance files are subject to audit by TEA. Finally, attendance records help us to communicate to parents our concern for prompt and regular school participation. Students and families must see that daily attendance is a vital part of the academic process.

In addition to record keeping, teachers are to communicate regularly with families of absent students. Parents are required to notify the school office when their child is absent. Parent notes regarding absences need to be turned in daily to the office. If more than two days, a doctor’s note is required. After eight total absences, a doctor’s note is required. The teacher should contact the family after the second consecutive day of absence to express concern and as a matter of follow-up. Also, contact parents when students reach two absences within two weeks or three within four weeks. It is important that you document date, time and subject of all parent contacts. By expressing interest in the child's attendance and progress, the home/school connection will be strengthened.

Tardy Policy

Our goal is to meet the educational, as well as the social and emotional needs of each student. It is our honor to join you and the school community in providing the best education possible. Students who are late not only miss out on important instructional time, but they also interrupt the flow of instruction in the

classroom. Students are allowed to enter the building at 7:20 a.m. and must be in the building with their class by 7:45 a.m.

1)Teachers shall notify the parent after the third tardy.

2)For Kindergarten through7th grade, 3tardies in a six-week period will result in one unexcused absence and could forfeit a student’s attendance to extracurricular activities.

3)A letter will be sent, from the office, to the parents/guardians after the first 5tardies/early pick-ups, notifying parents of the dates their child was tardy and/or picked up early. It will also state that 3unexcused tardies will be counted as one absence and your child is no longer eligible to receive a perfect attendance award. A letter from the principal or assistant principal will be sent to the parents/guardians after the 8th tardy/early pick up with an explanation of the law stating attendance requirements for the state of Texas.

4)Excessive tardies/pick-ups may result in disciplinary action.

Technically, promotion can be denied if a child misses more than 10% of the school year. Letters will be sent from the office at designated times as absences accumulate. Please contact the parents of students who have missed two or more days of school. It is the teacher's responsibility to keep theadministrators apprised of excessive absences.

Student Discipline

Teachers should be familiar with the Student Handbook as well as the Employee Handbook. All teachers will be expected to carry out discipline according to procedures presented, with the focus being on private, positive, loving correction.

STUDENT RECORDS

Student records are considered confidential according to the Federal Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA). All requests for student records must be submitted in writing by a custodial parent/guardian, or by a governmental or educational agency to the registrar's office. Requests should include date, items requested, and signature of parent or agency representative. School requests should be submitted on school letterhead forms. Teachers should not receive requests for student records in cumulative folders, but rather direct the requestor to the administrator's office. Requests for special education and/or ESL student records must be coordinated with the special education department, or the administrator's office. A teacher should never tell a parent that he/she refuses to provide a student record. If the teacher keeps a student paper such as a homework paper, quiz, or test, the teacher is required to provide a copy of the paper to the parent upon request. If the teacher sets up any written journal on a student, the journal becomes a student record to which the parent is entitled. It is strongly suggested that teachers always be careful about what they put in writing on a student. Teachers are expected to abide by the student record guidelines in the Student/Parent Handbook. If a teacher sets up and maintains their own files on individual students, these files should be destroyed at the end of the school year by shredding.

If a teacher has any concerns or issues regarding student records, he/she should talk to their administrator as soon as possible to ensure that proper procedures are followed. Failure of staff to handle student records according to school policies and procedures can result in personnel disciplinary action by school administration.

Staff should never discuss individual student information in hallways or in front of others who do not have a "need to know."

If any records issues arise, The Public Information Officer for Compass Academy is the Superintendent, with the Business Manager as the Superintendent's designee. Therefore, record issues unresolved at the campus level should be brought to the School Board.

STUDENT DRESS AND GROOMING

As authorized by state law and the School’s charter, students are required to wear uniforms to school. The School’s dress and grooming standards are designed to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, minimize safety hazards, and provide a dress standard that offers flexibility for the parent and student. Students must come to school cleanly and neatly groomed and wearing clothing that will not be a health or safety hazard to the student or others, and that will not distract from the educational atmosphere of the School. Students are required to arrive in proper attire every day.

Students who do not follow the School’s guidelines for personal attire and appearance may be subject to discipline under the Student Code of Conduct. Additionally, a parent may be contacted to bring an acceptable change of clothing to school, and the student may be assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day until a change of clothes is brought to the school.

Compass Academy students are expected to dress in a manner that conveys respect for their learning community and communicates a message of personal confidence and pride. The following specific guidelines must be adhered to:

Uniform Requirements

Shirts

Polo shirt with Compass Academy Embroidered logo in the following designated colors:

Royal, Grey, Pink, Black, White, and Purple. Long sleeve shirts worn under uniform shirts must be one of the polo shirt colors. Each Friday, students may wear a Compass Academy spirit t-shirt.

Uniforms may be purchased from:

Sweaters/Sweatshirts/Jackets

Students may wear any color or type of jackets/sweaters/sweatshirts to school. These will be removed once students enter the building. Hoods may not be worn in the building at any time.

Boy’s Pants/Shorts & Girl’s Pants/Capri’s/Skorts/Skirts

Blue Denim Jeans (no holes or cut-offs). Pants must be worn at the natural waist.Pants should not have bling, studs, stitching, frays, or glitter.Shorts and skirts should be no shorter than 3” above the knee.

Accessories

• Socks, tights, or leggings.
• Undershirts/turtle necks.
• Hair accessories.

Shoes

Tennis shoes must be worn at all times. They must be lace-up or Velcro. Tennis shoes are designed for athletic activity, other lace-up shoes are not permitted.

Jewelry

• Boys are not permitted to wear earrings or ear studs.
• No one is permitted to wear rings or studs anywhere on their bodies, except for girl’s ears.
• Jewelry may not represent or contain inappropriate content.

Make-up

Make-up should complement student attire. No crazy designs or distracting application of make-up is allowed. Make-up may not be shared with other students.

Dress Code

1.Students must wear school uniforms.

2.Hats,caps,showercaps,sweatbands,andbeaniesmustbekeptinthebackpack

duringtheschoolday.Theymaynotbeworninthebuilding.Girlsonlymaywearheadbands,bowsandotheraccessoriesthatcoordinatewiththeirCompassAcademyuniform.

3.Pantsmustbeworninapropermanneronthenaturalwaist.

4.Bandanasandskullcapsarenotallowedatschoolfunctionsatanytimeunlessit

ispartoftheathleticuniform. Noclothingshallbeworntiedaroundthebody.

5.Gangsymbolsarenotallowed.

6.Nonconforminghairstylesorinappropriatedressofanykindwillnotbeallowedatschool.Forboys,hairlengthshouldbenolongerthanone inch below theearlobesandeyebrowsmustbevisible.Boysarenotpermittedtowearponytails.Nounnatural,extremecolorsorextremestylesforboysorgirlsareallowed.

7.Noinappropriatedressshouldbewornatanytime. Duringtheofficialschool

day,onlyschooluniformsareallowedoncampusatalltimes(unlesspriorpermissionisgiven).

8.Excessivedresscodeviolationswillbetreatedasdefiantanddisrespectfulbehaviorandmayresultinadisciplinaryreferral.

Administrativereviewwillbethefinaldecisiononalloftheaboveitems.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

The official school dismissal time is 3:15 p.m. for grades K-3 and 3:45 p.m. for grades 4-7. All faculty are required to be on duty until 4:15 p.m.

There will be an after school care program available on location. Parents must sign students up on a monthly basis and pay all fees. If a parent is late to pick up their child, the child will be placed in the

After School Activities program at 4:15 p.m. and the parent will be charged the daily rate.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers can be invaluable to assist in many capacities for our school. Possible responsibilities include: cutting, binding books, making learning centers, decorating bulletin boards, tutoring and reading with students. Volunteers must fill out an application and have a clear criminal background check before working with or around students.

COMMUNICATIONS WITH PARENTS– All communications sent out must be approved by the administration.

Documentation

It is required that teachers set up and maintain a file on each of their students and file student documentation in the student's folder. The teacher can pull the student's folder for a conference with the student's parent(s). An ongoing journal or daily report should contain only the briefest information. Be extremely careful about what is put in writing or email. Remember that information on other students should not be shared with the other parents.

Communication Folder

Daily:

Students in grades K-5 will take home a communication folder. This folder will be utilized as a tool to communicate with parents on an on-going basis about the day’s events. Teachers will mark in the communication folder their individual discipline plan for students. Parents will initial and return this folder daily. Comments can be made daily to parents, but if a problem is ongoing call a parent or schedule a parent conference.

Weekly:

Each week parents will receive an email from their homeroom teacher or team of teachers that has been approved by the principal or assistant principal prior to sending. This email will outline the student learning goals, homework schedule, and a calendar of events. Teachers are to utilize this tool to create a positive flow of communication bridging school and home.

Each Tuesday afternoon the students willtake home their Communication Folder containing newsletters, classwork/homework papers, and other items for their parent(s). Parents should sign or initial communication folder indicating they saw information sent home. If a teacher observes that a parent fails to notate and/or sign and return the folders, the teacher should contact the parent. Teachers should always strive for proactive communication with parents.

Parent Conferences

Each teacher must make a positive phone call with all their students by the end of the 3rd week of school. Positive calls should be made to parent(s) prior to an initial meeting with a parent. You may only have about 15 minutes to talk to each parent. Make sure a clock is visible nearby so you can stay on track. Begin with positive comments about the student, and then go over the student's grades, test scores, and portfolios. Develop/review a Personal Education Plan with the parent to improve student performance and accountability.

How to Conduct Effective Parent Conferences

1. Be well prepared.

Look at student's schedule

Check records

Talk to other teachers

2. Make an ally of the parent.

Greet him/her warmly

Make him/her comfortable

Make positive comments

3. Talk about the child in the context of his/her whole life.

4. Use soft language.

I wonder if ...

I am confused by ...

Could you help me with...

5. Pay careful attention.

Focus on feelings

6. Ask clarifying questions.

Do I understand that you mean ... Can you help me understand better ...

7. Give feedback to parents.

Do I understand you to say ...

Can you help me understand further ...

8. Make a plan of action.

Discuss efforts to solve problem(s) Discuss roadblocks and outcomes

9. Make a follow-up date

Discuss alternate plans

Make notations of any follow-up plans and carry through with them

10. Offer resources. (Tread lightly!)

Books

Professionals within the community, courses at the school

Family members of friends

11. Make notes at the end of the conference and keep them confidential.

PARENT CONTACT

Teachers should be diligent in returning parent phone calls within 24 hours if at all possible. Otherwise, a note should be sent in an effort to arrange a time for a phone or personal conference. Parents should never be surprised when report cards are received. Teachers should keep a log documenting all parent calls and/or correspondence.

PARENTING PARTICIPATION AND CHECKLIST

Parent involvement is an essential part of the student's education at Compass Academy. It is recommended to our parents to participate in the following:

1st Semester

Required Activity / Point Value / Date Completed
Visit Classroom ½ hr. / 4pts.
PEP Design & Updates / 4pts.
1 Parent Seminar / 2pts.
Community Service / 2pts.

2nd Semester

Required Activity / Point Value / Date Completed
Visit Classroom ½ hr. / 4pts.
PEP Design & Updates / 4pts.
1 Parent Seminar / 2pts.
Community Service / 2pts.

Activity/Event:

Before school drop-off- …………………………………………… (Drop off time is 7:15 – 7:40 am)

After school pick-up- …………………………………………………….. (K & 3rd Pick up time is 3:15 – 3:45)

4th – 7th Pick up time is 3:45-4:10)

After School Care- …………………………………………………….. (Pick up time is 4:10 – 5:45)

Assist the Teacher in the classroom- ………………….… (Please contact your child’s teacher)

Assist with a classroom party- …………………………..… (Please contact your child’s teacher)

Field Trips ……………………………………… (Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time)

PTO………………………………………………(Angie Scott, PTO President, Via Compass’s Facebook page)

*Upon visiting the school, all parents must check-in at the front desk.

*Eating lunch with your child will not count towards parent points.

*Children not enrolled in Compass Academy will not be allowed on campus while volunteering.

There will be no Parent Observations scheduled the 1st three weeks of school, the day before a holiday, the week before Christmas Break, during PBL, during benchmark or other major testing, or during the last two weeks of school.

Procedures for Parents in the Classroom

Observations should be limited to parents or legal guardians to complete Parent Points (arrangements can be made for a surrogate, but must be approved by student’s classroom teacher).

Observing one’s child in a classroom setting can provide the parent with helpful insight into the child’s “world.” No observation can be scheduled later than 3:00 p.m. for Kinder-3rd or 3:15 p.m. for 4th – 7th. Each parent is required to observe in his/her child’s classroom for one-half hour per semester (Fall & Spring) to fulfill the mandatory parent points. Sometimes the teacher will implement small projects in which parents may participate. Parents who have more than one child enrolled at Compass Academy will only be required to do one observation per child per year.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

Parents are encouraged to confer with the child’s teacher to discuss progress. Parents may schedule appointments with individual teachers. The teacher may also wish to contact the parent to confer about the child’s progress. These conferences are not to be scheduled during afternoon pickup, during parent observation, or morning drop-off. They should be scheduled during the teacher’s conference period. If parents have any concerns about their child’s performance in the classroom, they must contact the child’s teacher first. After a parent/teacher conference, the parent may request a conference with the principal by scheduling an appointment with the school secretary. All administrative conferences must be scheduled and must include the parent(s)/guardian(s).

To preserve confidentiality of student records and information, other family members and friends should not participate in parent conferences with teachers and/or administrators.

GRADES

GRADING POLICY